Anything goes. That’s the liberating message resounding through the realm of bridal fashion right now. The wedding dress market—like so many arenas in our precarious world—is in a state of flux. In an increasingly global and crowded space, the masterminds of the dress of dreams must cater to a multitude of brides with a multitude of tastes in a multitude of locations. In other words, the days of one-dress-fits-all are long gone.
“The Jenny Packham bride is harder to define nowadays,” says Mathew Anderson, the longstanding CEO of the firm cofounded with his wife 31 years ago. For her 2020 bridal collection, the British designer’s response was to get herself out of her comfort zone with some 32 diversified looks (though those with a yen for artisanal embroidery of the highest order can still find plenty here). Taking inspiration from across the globe, these creations will work as well at a South American beach wedding as at a French chateau or at an all-dancing, nocturnal New York affair.
Understated this collection is not. There’s the Anaïs, a ruffled, jewel-free gown designed with the Asian customer in mind; the Margeaux, a shimmering minidress hemmed with ostrich-feathers that would be perfect for post-ceremony parties; and the sleekly caped Farrah with enough coverage—and shimmer—to perform in the Middle East. Packham’s take on the ’90s staple silk satin slip is particularly pretty when paired with a beaded mini cape.
Packham is certainly canny to evolve her offering. As her husband says: “In the bridal equivalent of the big bang you have to ask yourself what to hold on to.” The answer here, happily, is “fun.”
